Medical Marijuana Update

The House tells the DEA to stay out of medical marijuana states, California and Oregon move toward regulating medical marijuana grows, CBC cannabis oil bills and programs make progress, and more.

This article contains a correction to the original version, in the Minnesota subsection.

On Wednesday, the House voted to bar the DEA from interfering in states with CBD cannabis oil and medical marijuana laws. The moves were part of a broader assault on the DEA in the House. Click on the link for more information.

Arizona

Last Tuesday, the state Supreme Court agreed to review DUID immunity for patients. The court agreed to review a state Court of Appeals ruling issued last November that said medical marijuana patients can still be prosecuted under laws against drugged driving. Arizona has a zero tolerance per se DUID law under which all that is necessary to convict if the presence of inactive metabolites in the blood.

California

On Monday, a medical marijuana regulation bill won a committee vote. The Assembly Appropriations Committee has approved a compromise regulation bill that combines features of two competing bills, Assembly Bill 34 and Assembly Bill 266. The bill would create a Governor's Office of Medical Marijuana Regulation, with three divisions. The Agriculture Department would handle cultivation, the Public Health Department would handle product safety and labeling, and the Board of Equalization would be responsible for licensing. The compromise bill is AB 266. A floor vote is expected later this week.

Florida

Last Wednesday, a state judge cleared the way for the CBD cannabis oil program.A judge in Tallahassee dismissed the final challenge to the state's CBD cannabis oil law passed last year, clearing the way for the long-delayed program to actually get underway. Now, growers should be able to provide CBD cannabis oils to patients within a few months.

Illinois

Last Saturday, a bill to add PTSD to the list of qualifying conditions moved ahead. The House last Saturday approved a bill that would add PTSD to the list of qualifying medical conditions. The bill has already been approved by the Senate, but will have to go back there for approval after the House added language clarifying that patients are not prohibited from having a state firearms owner ID card.

Minnesota

As of Monday, the CBD cannabis oil program is taking registrants. Patients can sign up for the state's CBD cannabis oil program, which will go into effect July 1. The state estimates that some 5,000 people will sign up.

[Ed: The initial version of this article initially described the Minnesota program erroneously as involving "CBD cannabis oil." While the program has limits including not allowing smoked or edible marijuana, it does not specify THC vs. CBD content.]

Oklahoma

On Saturday, a medical marijuana initiative campaign get underway. Hundreds of people showed up at the state capitol for the launch of a medical marijuana initiative campaign led by Oklahomans for Health.

Oregon

Last Friday, the Senate passed a bill restricting medical marijuana growers. The state Senate voted overwhelmingly to approve a bill widely opposed by patients and growers that limits the number of plants caregivers could grow. The measure, Senate Bill 964, also requires regular reporting by growers and allows localities to prohibit dispensaries.

South Carolina

Last Friday, the medical marijuana bill was pronounced dead for the year. A bill that would have allowed for the use of medical marijuana is dead in the state legislature this year, senators said. Senate Bill 672, sponsored by Sen. Tom Davis (R-Beaufort), will, however, get more hearings before the legislature begins the second year of its two-year session in January.

Texas

On Monday, the CBD cannabis oil bill was signed into law. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) Monday signed into law the CBD cannabis oil bill, Senate Bill 339, which allows the use of the oil for treating severe forms of epilepsy. Texas is now the 15^th state to allow the use of CBD cannabis oils.

[For extensive information about the medical marijuana debate, presented in a neutral format, visit MedicalMarijuana.ProCon.org.]